Thread: Just a quick rant!

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Originally Posted by jyardgirl

I have a girlfriend whos niece was given a car when she turned 16. ............ I think that they need to add a general discussion to the drivers ed classes in high school about maintenance.

Most of us worked hard for our cars, so we want to keep them! Lots of kids today, get their first cars as a gift. Since the have no vesting in the purchase they tend not to care for them.(not all kids, but most of my friends who have given a car to their kids have experienced the absolute neglect of that gift.) My coworker did something really cool with her daughter. She matched her dollar for dollar, in buying her first car. Her daughter worked her butt off, and got a nice new car, with savings, work money and what her mom gave her. She takes good care of her car.
A friend once told me the worst gift you can give your kids is money/inheritance. He was a successfull buisness man who earned his fortune, his kids were never motivated to do anything, just waiting for him to die, and cash out quick! So he cut them off. They don't like him much, but I respect him!
Jyard I'm sad reading about your girlfiends kid, because I was raised by my mom, who worked herself to death supporting us. She made it clear, that if we wanted cars growing up, we'd have to buy them, maintain them and insure them. What a great gift that was! Taught me work ethics, the ability to save toward something big, not get it instantly - patience, and responsibility to others on the road by being insured. I still love my 68 mustang, I bought in High School, rebuilt the engine, and restored to stock back then.

we matched our 14 year old dollar for dollar. he got a 75 pontiac astre. needs work but he loves it. By the time that he starts to drive he will know how to do most things on the car and maybe he will be kind to it as he will know what it takes to keep it that way.

Well said, you guy's are great parents!
Wish all those trustfunder's were the same!

here they make you test your blinkers and brake lights and hand signals but they still cant drive woth a sh*t !!!!?

My wife and I have no children but we do have a favorite niece and nephew. When my niece turned 16 we offered to give her my '80 280ZX. But we had attached a few strings to the gift---one she had to keep and maintain her grade average, two no moving violations ever, three she had to maintain the car as I had done since it was new. Her mom and dad offered to pay half her insurance costs but she had to pay for the other half and for gas and maintenance. She found a job and worked through high school and college

Well suffice it to say, she earned an academic and athletic scholarship, never had a ticket other than parking, and she learned how to maintain the car, even doing her own oil/filter changes and rotating tires, after her father showed her how(we weren't living in CO then and we drove the car out here from WA for her).
She's 26 now, established in her career and just got married. About four months ago she called and asked if we'd be upset if she sold the car, No, of course not(I should've bought it back from her, Other than normal wear and tear it still looked/ran great for a 27 year old car with over 160 k miles )She traded it in on a new Audi A-6. She learned and respected the gift we gave her.

Great story. I love hearing stuff like this. Makes me have strong faith in the younger generation. Great old cars those z's!

i change oil in my cars once a year whether they need it or not

i change my daily drive once every month - month and a half.

Hoss is right. Change your hobby car's oil even if you just drove it only 1,500 miles in a year- or less.

when the nova is out and about i change it everytime it leaves the house for the track, comes out as clean as it went it. never have drained black oil out of it.

i have my dads old 87 iroc-z that he bought new. only 43k on the clock and clean as a whistle. last time it sat for about nine years and it didnt like running on that old gas and plugged a couple injectors

I have great intentions but little time, so I use Jiffy Lube. Problem is, my Son lost the Motor in his Jimmy when they put just 2 quarts in and the Crankshaft broke in three pieces. And, of course, the Engine blew 2 Miles from the Eisenhour Tunnel on Loveland Pass in the Colorado Mountains-

I have a '95 F-150 I bought new, it has little miles and just sits in the Garage now-anyway, my Wife took it in and had the Oil changed-she used it to move some stuff while I was away, and when I got back said it had a ticking sound-I checked the Oil and it didn't register on the Dipstick, so I put in 3 Quarts (it holds 6 Quarts-351). Luckily, I use Mobil 1 in everything, and I change it every 3,000 Miles (I know, anal)-hopefully it didn't hurt much-probably lost 10K+ in mileage before a rebuild however-

Now, if my Wife has the Oil changed in anything she stands at the Window like a Hawk and watches them put it in-since they use Mobil 1 they have to pour it out of the Quart bottles, so she counts-

all my kids get a free car , thats the deal for doin good in school they also know daddy is a friggin freak about the maint. on said cars and all my girls can change their own oil and check their own fluids if they choose not to daddy will not replace said vehicle kinda keeps them motivated: